Window screen



Feb. 28, 1933,

' J. J. RITTER WINDOW SCREEN Filed Nov.

u-QWN INY NTOR ATTORNEY5 Patented "Feb. 28;

CO PANY; OFiURBANA,-.QHIO, A, conPoaA'rroN-or .0310; I

. wimiow semis A pl ation .nedwovemper-7, 1932. Serial No. 641,516;

- Thisinvention relates to improvements in adgnstable w1ndow-;screens,' it more particunectingthe'screenj'sections.

larly relating was means "for slidably v.con

I Adjustable; window'screensare usually' composed :of' two sections ofisimilar but re versedhand construction, and are assembled so eachv section 11 as ja jsliding movementwith each otherfwhereby, the. length of the screen may bevaried. The section elements'sometimesknown as riailsare usually, .provided with mating grooves, andthe members which connect the sectionsto each other must, onithe one hand, be capable of being securely fastened in fthegroove.ofzonerail, and" on thecther' hand,1nust also ib'eicapable of slid ing treelyin'the' correspondinggroove of'the otherrailb,

.c I' 'manyOftheearlier screensg the connect-c 20 a c to fixtl1em;securely-1n place, and in addition fastenin'g's suchas nails were required. 5 Mem ing members required'one or more operations bclS "Of he type hold-themselves firmly; in

place and resist amove'mentt'ending toxdise lodge them'f'when a force is applied in; one

direction, but werejea'sily 1mo-vedwhenf-a force was applied in 1 the opposite 1 direction.

In practically all caseswhere the screen sec- 1 none were made of wood',fthe firmness of-the anchoring depended on the; weather condi tions,,the members becoming loose in dry weather. Q V ..The object of the present invention is the provision of an inexpensiveand durablecon} 'necting' member of the class described, whose gripping efle'ctis' not diminishedby changes i are placed together as-1n assembly, the grooves in w ather conditions, and' for" insertion of whichino toolsare necess'ary andonewhich 1 Ewill resist ordinary forcesten'ding to'di'slodge the same acting-ineither direction.

ffOther' objects and advantages will appear in'the following specifications and claims.

In the accompanying, drawing;

" Fig. 1' is a perspective v ew of a portion of an adjustable screen having incorporated therein the improved connecting a members.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary trans- V Fig. at is a side elevation of oneof Jenna. mr'iynmor vammyomo, Ass'Ie oR- T0 Tani-w. 1 3; new MANUFAcTuRrNG proved 'members; the'scale of the view being Figs. .5 and 6 are transversesections. on the l nes 5-5 and 6 -6 respectively. j 1

approximately twice the size of the member;

a .55 Fig. 7 is a bottomplan of the improved member on thesamescale as Fig. 4,the1view, also, showing the outline tof the blank from I which the member is formed. I: I

- is a perspective view of the improved memberlenlarged to twice thesize thereof. V

Referring ,to Fig. 1' of the drawing itwill" V be understood that they portion of the screen not shown corresponds exactly to the portion which is shown. The screen-sections are. com- .posed of the. section .1 on the left hand andthe section 2 on: the-right: hand. -Each section consists of an endpiece 3 and 4. and an up} perfvlongitudinal rail 5 and 6, respectively,cthe

lower rails not being shown.v As is. usual in such screensthe constructlonof each section is identical except for the necessary-complemental formation whereby a completed ad justablescreen is-produced-if r The-reference character 8 refers to. the screen'material, which may beof any suitable' material, such as vwirecloth, fabric or' as is employed in thepresent invention, 'portions-of thin flat sheet metal slitt'ed? and.

formed to provide louvres-(-not shown). I Each rail 5 and 6 is provided with a 1on+ gitudinally extending groove 9-which grooves face'each other in thej assembled screen.

Each groove 9 is angularly undercut at the top and bottom as best seen in the extreme right hand portion of Fig.1. Whenthe rails,

appear ass-seen in Figs. 2* and 3.

. Theconnecting niemberywhich will-be known asthe clip, is designated at 10. It is formed infone piece from flat, sheetv metal having spring temper characteristics, the broken lines in Fig. 7' showing the outhne of quent operations to a substantially u shaped cross-section (Figs.-4 and 5), havlngva flat connecting portion 12 and legsll4= which are the blank. The blank is. formed by .subse- I out-turned at their faceedges to form flanges 17. Theclip is so constructed that onespart V thereothas free sliding contact "with .the walls of the groove inone section, while the other part is anchored against movement, in the groove of the other section. V The spacing apart of the legs of the clip is necessarily dependent on the space between the lips of the groove, and to allow insertion of the clip therein and to firmly anchor the clip in the groove, and connecting portion 12 is widened at the center thereof by wings 13., The material for the wings 13 is taken frcm'the portion of the blank which later forms the legs position, the wings are left extending from each edge of the connecting portion and thereby have thejbenefit of the strength of the connecting portion of the clip.

hen a clip is inserted in a'groove, the

clip makes contact with the walls of the groove through the wings, the wings engaging the groove in the sharp'corners 9.. To provide a further insurance for a firm anchorage, the wings are subjected to another operation consisting "of bending each wing at the central portion thereof transversely'of the longitudinal extension of the clip as best seen in Figs. 4 and 6; This bending operation provides for imparting to the wing a bowed form, thecenter of which is shown at 15 (Figs. 4 and 8), and although not essential, this bending operation is shown as including the connecting portion 12.

The gripping action is further enhance by forming the corners of the wings as best seen in Fig. 7 theangular corners 16 imbedding themselvesin the flat vertical side of the groove 9. The angular'nature of the corners also provide a resistance against movement of the clip in either direction, since each corner points in an opposite direction.

' The remaining portion of the clip comprising the legs 14 and the outturned flanges 17 is formed to such dimensions as will permit a free sliding movement in the groove 9 of the mating rail as shown in Figs; 2 and 3, the flanges 17 engaging the angularly disposed sides 18 of the groove. Tominimize any tendency of the legs 14 to bend inward- 1y, a portion 19 at each end of the part 12 is slitted backand turned inwardly between the legs 1%, where these portions act as spacers. 1

Toassemble the sections into a screen, a clip is placed in each groove at the open end thereof, with its sliding portion (the legs 14 and fianges'l'?) inserted in the groove, and is then slid to the opposite end of the groove 'adjacent'the end pieces 3 and 4. The vsections are then placed in position and each clip is slid back and forced into the open end of the mating groove to the depth desired.

From the foregoing specification it will be seen thatthere is thus provided an improved connecting member which is inexpensive to make and install, no tools being required, and

I claim:

'1. In an adjustable window screen having slidabe sections with mating undercut grooves, a metallic clip substantially U- 1 1 of the clip, and whenthc legs are bent to shaped in cross-section to form a pair of legs and an lntermediate connectmg portlon,

clip and projecting in line with the connectand wings struck from the leg portions of the r ing portion thereof for anchored engagenient with the walls of the groove of one section, the legs of theclip being formed to walls of the groove and an intermediate connecting portion, and

wings struck from the leg portions of the clip and projectingin line with the connecting portion thereof for anchored engagement with the. walls of the groove of one section, the

free end of each leg being bent atan angle thereto toadapt the legs for sli-dable engagement with'the walls. of the groove of the other section.

3.?In an ad usting window screen having slidable sections with mating undercut grooves, a metallic clip' substantially U- shaped in cross-section to form a pair of legs and an intermediate connecting portion, wings struck from theleg portion of the clip and. projecting in line with the connectingportion thereof for anchored engagement with-the walls of-the groove of one section, each ofsaid wings being bent to a substantial bow shape,the legs of the clip being formed to slidably engage with the walls of the groove of the other section. v

4. In an adjustable window screen having slidable sections with mating undercut grooves, a metallic clip substantially U- shapedin' cross section to form a pair of legs, and an intermediate connecting portion, oppositely extending wings struck from the leg portions of the clip and projecting in line with the connecting portion thereof, the side edges of each ofsaid wings being converged gagement with the walls of the groove of one section, the legs of the clip being formed to slidably engage with the walls of the groove of the other section.

5. In an adjustable window screen having slidable sections with mating. undercut toward the connectingportion to provide outl grooves, a metallic clip substantially U- shaped in cross-sectionto' fOlmjlpair. of legs and an intermediate'oonneeting portion, each end of the intermediate connecting ortion;

beingbent to lie between said legs an act as clip having its free end. bentst an angle'jth'ereto to slidably engage with thewa'lls of'tho groove of the other section.

In testimony whereof, I my hand this'2nd day of November -1932.

have hereuntoset 

